Synthesis Essay – Henry FordHenry FordWhen we think of successes in the automotive industry, Henry Ford comes to mind. Nearly every book on the auto industry highlights the positive impact Henry Ford had on auto manufacturing, and they all label him as a visionary and ethical leader. Anyone seeking to become a more influential leader need look no further than Henry Ford for inspiration. His story highlights his strong self-belief, hard-working mentality and visionary approach to what the automotive industry could be and believed that vision was achieved through ethical leadership decision-making. While being a leader alone is a difficult task in itself, Henry Ford understood where his industry was at the time, saw where he wanted it to be in the future, and created specific, achievable goals and articulated them with great inspiration. Thus, his vision became reality. Visionary Leader Henry Ford was a visionary leader, as evidenced by his pioneering efforts to revolutionize the way automobiles were assembled and his unwavering dedication to the men and women who assembled them. Ford's understanding of the “path-goal theory” of leadership facilitated his ability to correctly assess the current situation and needs of workers, leading him to use supportive behaviors to transform the organization (“Full Range,” 2012a, p. 7). . He recognized that auto production was slow and wasteful, with long hours causing employee morale to plummet. His supportive behavior of the process and his employees is what led to Henry Ford's vision and implementation of the automotive assembly line. “His vision was first implemented in his Highland Park plant on December 1, 1913, transforming… the medium of paper… you are doing is the right one. After all, being an ethical, visionary leader isn't always the popular thing to be... but it's the right thing to be. PBS References Alef, D. (2008). Henry Ford, American experience. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/henryfordGunderson, A. (2009) Series of great leaders: Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://www.inc.com/30years/articles/henry-ford.htmlThomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (US) United States. Department of the Air Force. (2012a). Comprehensive Leadership Development (CF02). Attachment Maxwell-Gunter, AL: Department of the Air Force. Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (USA) United States. Department of the Air Force. (2012b). Ethical Leadership (LM01). Attachment Maxwell-Gunter, AL: Department of the Air Force.
tags